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Family Functioning and Relationship Quality for Adolescents in Family‐based Treatment with Severe Anorexia Nervosa Compared with Non‐clinical Adolescents
Author(s) -
Wallis Andrew,
MiskovicWheatley Jane,
Madden Sloane,
Rhodes Paul,
Crosby Ross D.,
Cao Li,
Touyz Stephen
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
european eating disorders review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.511
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1099-0968
pISSN - 1072-4133
DOI - 10.1002/erv.2562
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , eating disorders , psychology , intervention (counseling) , family therapy , clinical psychology , psychiatry
This longitudinal study explored family functioning and relationship quality for adolescents with severe anorexia nervosa (AN). An important outcome given healthy family functioning supports effective adolescent development. Fifty‐four female adolescents and their parents, treated with family‐based treatment after inpatient admission, and 49 non‐clinical age‐matched adolescents and their parents were compared at assessment and 6 months after session 20. At baseline, AN group mothers and fathers reported poorer family function. AN adolescents were notably similar to controls, reporting poorer function in only one domain. There were no changes for adolescents, an improvement for mothers in the AN group, but an increase in perceived impairment for fathers in both groups, with AN fathers more affected. The similarity in adolescent reports and the increase for fathers over time may indicate that normal adolescent family processes occur even in the midst of serious illness. There is a need to provide intervention to ameliorate the impact of treatment on parents. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.